Archive for April, 2017

﻿Connor McDavid has already made his mark on the ice as a generational talent. Now, he’s making his mark off of it, as well, becoming the NHL’s highest-paid player.

Not bad for a guy who just left his teens five months ago.

McDavid and the Oilers agreed to an eight-year contract extension which will cost $12.5 million per year against the salary cap once it kicks in following the upcoming season. That deal easily tops the dual $10.5 million cap hits of Chicago’s Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, which are currently the highest in the NHL for 2017-18. Anze Kopitar of the Kings has a salary cap charge of $10 million; and Montreal’s Carey Price will earn an average of $10.5 million per season beginning in 2018-19.

The wholesale nhl jerseys deal became official Wednesday at a news conference in Edmonton. Reportedly it is worth $750,000 less per season than originally reported last week.

Of course few would argue that McDavid deserves to be the highest-paid player in the sport. The 20-year-old, 2015 first-overall pick already has 102 assists and 148 points in only 127 career games played. He just captured the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsey Award, signaling his rise as the league’s top player in 2016-17, when he secured the Art Ross Trophy, leading the NHL with 100 points. That he did so as the youngest captain in league history merely adds to McDavid’s growing legend.

While the dollar figure is record-setting by NHL standards, it pales in comparison to what comparable superstars are paid in the other major sports.

LeBron James hauls in a cool $35.6 million per year, nearly triple what McDavid will make. Clayton Kershaw is right behind James, with MLB’s top salary that calls for him to make $35.571 million each season. Saints quarterback Drew Brees leads the NFL with a cap hit of $28 million.

Of course, other leagues generate more revenue and have higher team salary caps than the NHL, and not every penny of an NFL pact is even guaranteed. But it is sobering to see that 67 players in the NBA — 67! — will make more than McDavid in 2017-18. As of today, 52 NFL players will pull in more than McDavid’s reported $13.25 million; and the EA Sports NHL 18 cover boy will make the same as Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel this season, sitting behind 85 other major league baseball players.

Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli said Wednesday that McDavid’s signing signals a partnership between the team and player, and that the young superstar could have sought more dollars and agreed to fewer years on the deal than he ultimately did.

In the end, both sides win.The Oilers lock up the face of the franchise for eight years, a major coup, and McDavid pockets $100 million before becoming an unrestricted free agent at 28.

﻿With a 15-21 record and cheap jerseys sitting ninth in the Western Conference, the Portland Trail Blazers could potentially use C.J. McCollum as a trade chip to acquire the frontcourt presence they desperately need.

ESPN.com’s Chris Haynes reported Wednesday the Blazers are holding firm in not making McCollum available in trades.

As part of an offseason spending spree, the Blazers gave McCollum a four-year, $106 million extension that goes into effect starting next year. Portland also re-signed Allen Crabbe and Moe Harkless and spared no expense to bring in Evan Turner and Festus Ezeli as free agents.

According to Spotrac, the Blazers’ payroll climbed from 27th in 2015-16 ($66,562,366) to third in 2016-17 ($113,260,408), and that’s before McCollum’s extension is added to the books.

In October, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reported that some around the league thought general manager Neil Olshey was essentially acquiring pieces he could later package into a big trade down the road.

Stein also classified McCollum and Damian Lillard as “backcourt bedrocks.”

The trouble for Olshey now is that trading McCollum may be the only way for Portland to get the players who can turn the team around. Crabbe and Turner are having disappointing years, while Harkless is a solid but unspectacular small forward.

After winning the league’s Most Improved Player Award in 2015-16, McCollum is averaging 22.9 points per game on 47.9 percent shooting. His three-point percentage has also improved from 41.7 percent last year to 43 percent.

Trading a player of McCollum’s ability would be risky and likely evoke comparisons to the Oklahoma City Thunder sending James Harden to the Houston Rockets in 2012, which was more so for financial reasons.

﻿One of the most enjoyable aspects of the trade deadline is the feeling that anything can happen, given this is an “event” in which all 30 teams participate and represents the last in-season chance to make major changes without the annoyance of waiver rules.

Most trades aren’t highway robberies cheap mlb jerseys for one side or the other, but are simply matches of needs between two teams with differing goals. It’s much harder to imagine a fair trade than an unreasonable one, so when concocting a possible trade including all 30 teams at once, I tried not to include any “my washed-up veterans for your young superstar” type — and would each team in fact close the deal?Of course not, but I’ve tried to include something for everyone.

﻿Claude Giroux has seen his points total drop each of the last three seasons. He finished 2016-17 with 14 goals, his lowest over the course of a full season since 2008-09.

The Philadelphia Flyers captain has, especially over the last two years, seen his eight-year, $66.2 million contract become an albatross. His deal holds a $8.275 million cap hold through the 2021-2022 season and a no-move clause, meaning Giroux has final say on any deal.

The Flyers appear open to making a move themselves. Bob McKenzie of TSN appeared on Montreal’s TSN 690 and said the Flyers are looking at potential deals, though nothing is imminent.

Per Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports, McKenzie said: “They did say that there have been a couple of calls recently from teams asking just, ‘Is he available? Would he be available? Would they consider going down that road?’

The Flyers have one problem: It does not appear Giroux is remotely willing to leave Philadelphia.

“Ah, I haven’t really thought about it. I’ve been in Philly for nine years, and I don’t plan on leaving. Like I said, it’s not for me to make those decisions, and I’m not leaving,” Giroux told reporters in April.

While not to the same extent, there are parallels here one could draw between Giroux and Carmelo Anthony in the NBA.

Like the Flyers, the New York Knicks are in the midst of a rebuilding stage and have young stars ready to take the spotlight. Like the Knicks, the Flyers have an extremely talented but expensive former franchise face who is taking a up a lot of cap space.

Like Anthony, Giroux has final say on whether he gets traded.

The difference here is years committed. While the Knicks could realistically buy Anthony out and get out from under their uncomfortable situation, Giroux’s contract does not have an end in sight. The Flyers still like having him around and it’s possible he’ll return to form next season, but the contract issue isn’t going away.

﻿The Los Angeles Lakers can’t afford to look back, committing to a new path the moment they traded D’Angelo Russell. Lost in the whirling news cycle and immediate analysis was the fact that the Lakers landed 29-year-old Brook Lopez, who just drained 134 shots from deep last season.

That’s one less made three-pointer than Russell’s 135, and Lopez did it while shooting just .6 percent worse than D’Angelo. To boot, it was Brook’s first season even trying to be a stretch center, attempting three total shots from downtown in the 15,896 regular season minutes he’s played prior to last season.

This is the one of the many lights Lakers general manager cheap jerseys nba Rob Pelinka wanted to shine on their new max contract big man during his introductory press conference, which was clear from his opening statement.

“We’re incredibly excited today, and what today is not about, it’s not about players that we traded away. It’s not about creating cap space. It’s about this phenomenal human being and player that we’re so excited to have join the Lakers,” Pelinka said, directing the conversation and focus.

The Lakers’ Shakespearean general manager spoke glowingly of Lopez, who he believes can be the guiding compass to a young Lakers core that he fits perfectly with on paper. Lopez’s professionalism and dedication is something Pelinka hopes sets a positive example for a young core that’s going to need a stabilizing presence.

Adding the big man who’s averaged at least 20 points per game in four of his nine seasons as he enters his prime is something Pelinka believes will define the upcoming season for Los Angeles. He doesn’t see the next 82 games as a year of rebuilding, either.

“Brook is going to be a key leader for us to help these young men grow into great NBA players, and we don’t see next year at all as a rebuilding year, we see it as a Lakers year, and a lot of that is going to be centered around him, and what he stands for and what we know he’ll give to this organization,” the Lakers’ general manager said.

That very well may be the case. Lopez could be a great partner for Lonzo, a great mentor for Ivica Zubac and Thomas Bryant and a great teammate to all. Those details have always been on the surface, but the conversation has largely revolved around those things Pelinka said their press conference was not about.““I think it’s a perfect fit, and I think he’s a perfect road map to our next generation of centers” – Rob Pelinka”

What it was was a chance for Pelinka to tell the Lakers’ side of the story, which included the chance to evaluate Lopez for a year while the NBA tries to mold every big man into a perimeter shooter. With any luck, the Lakers may have found theirs.

“Luke’s system is predicated on having bigs that can stretch the floor and create space, especially with Lonzo Ball and Jordan Clarkson as attack guards. Having bigs opens up the floor and allows them to make plays, allows Brandon Ingram to get increases, Julius running the floor, Larry… I think it’s a perfect fit, and I think he’s a perfect road map to our next generation of centers here, too,” Pelinka said.

Lopez has spent his entire nine-year career with the Brooklyn Nets, and when asked about how he felt leaving the only franchise he’s played for, he compared it to the uncertainty of draft night at first. It didn’t take long for him to embrace the next chapter in his career, though.

“Once I was settled I think a lot of those emotions turned into general excitement for this opportunity and this chance to come back home and play for a team I grew up cheering for, and help lead this franchise back to success.

“I want to be out there teaching the young guys, helping them do whatever I can and just being a guy Luke can rely on to go out there and do whatever he asks,” Lopez said.

The Lakers, as constructed, need that reliable focal point. Lopez fits the mold of being just that, slogging night in and night out for a Nets team that’s only made the playoffs twice during his tenure. It’s that perseverance, that drive, to continue improving and remain focused on being the best individual he can be on the basketball court that Pelinka believes will help drive the Lakers culture in the direction he and Magic Johnson envision.

“He’s adapted to the new style of play in the NBA. Every year he’s committed to his fitness, his endurance, how he takes care of his body. How he treats other human beings. We just couldn’t be more proud of who he is and how he’s going to help us lead this new Lakers team that we’re forming,” Pelinka said.